The
extension of Coach Jim Grobe's contract
by ten years is big news. The symbolism
of this is important to Wake Forest football,
particularly after Grobe did not immediately
dismiss other school's interest (Baylor)
soon after the end of the 2002-2003 season.

The
Deacons' football program has several built-in
disadvantages when competing with other
Division 1-A schools. It is among the smallest
schools competing at that level, and earns
only one-third to one-half as much revenue
from football as most of the other schools
in the ACC (excluding Duke). Despite this,
Wake has an opportunity for their third
consecutive winning season, a feat not accomplished
by them since Truman was president (1950-52).

Grobe's
commitment to the school is critical in
developing a larger fan base from a small
poll of alumni and the (sometimes) indifferent
residents of the Winston-Salem area. Grobe
has a system well suited to his players
and should accordingly keep the program
competitive. At a school - or in their entire
region, for that matter - where basketball
is king, this speaks volumes for the commitment
required to spawn long-term football development.

The
Deacons' out-of-conference schedule (at
Boston College, home against Purdue, East
Carolina, and Connecticut) does not give
them many breathers, and there seemingly
aren't any easy pickins' in the ACC, either.
With some real effort, this squad will win
one no one expects them to win, yet still
lose a few in the same manner. But, with
their inexperienced offensive skill players
and small, young defensive front, another
6-6 regular season record should get Grobe
consideration for Coach of the Year. Less
of a finish seems more likely for Wake Forest
in 2003.

The
successes Jim Grobe has enjoyed in his first two
years at Wake Forest have been built on a strong
running game. His ground game has consistently
been anchored by the foundation of a solid offensive
line. Grobe's system relies more on agility than
brute strength, featuring misdirection and frequent
end-around plays by the wide receivers.

Three
OL starters return. These veterans all fit Grobe's
profile of looking for agile blockers instead
of ones who can just plow over tacklers, although
with Tyson Clabo, he gets both. They enabled the
Deacons to lead the ACC with an average of 241
yards rushing per game. They also averaged an
impressive 4.4 yards per attempt, and will (at
least) match that production again.

Coach
Grobe shows the offensive line's importance by
dedicating assistant coach Steed Lobotzke (centers
and guards) to oversee it. Steed has been with
Grobe since his days at Ohio University. He faces
a challenge in replacing 2003's starters (and
main backups) at RT and RG, but having veterans
within the system will be of great benefit toward
integrating new players.

The
ball carrying duties will be in good hands this
season. In 2002, Sophomore Chris Barclay gained
734 yards/9 TDs as a true freshman while splitting
time with Tarence Williams. As the main focus
of the 2003 Wake Forest offense, expect to see
Barclay develop into one of the most dangerous
running backs in the ACC. He has the quickness
to make tacklers miss and enough speed to easily
break five-yard gains into long runs. Junior Nick
Burney is also capable - he averaged nearly five
yards per carry on 84 attempts. He is more of
a straight-ahead runner than Barclay, giving the
Deacons a good change-of-pace option at running
back.

The
Demon Deacons are in the uncomfortable position
of having to replace much of their entire backfield
and all of their starting receivers from last
season. This will cause some bumps in the road
for Wake's offense this season, particularly in
the early going. However, there is some young
talent that has been waiting in the wings which
will allow the Deacons to be more explosive than
in recent years.

The
offense will be turned over to sophomore quarterback
Cory Randolph. Randolph saw limited playing time
last season as a red-shirt freshman and possesses
more physical skills than his predecessor, James
MacPherson. Randolph will be able to buy time
in the pocket and turn upfield to run the ball
better than MacPherson. He also has a cannon for
an arm and will be able to make throws MacPherson
couldn't. But it is still a task to competently
replace one of the NCAA's top 30 QBs - skills
have to translate into productivity and wins.

Randolph
will have a fleet target in redshirt freshman
WR Willie Idlette. He had a great spring and will
push Chris Davis for the starting role at slot
back. Returning junior WR Jason Anderson averaged
over 23 yards on 23 catches, with six touchdowns.
He will be an even bigger part of the 2003 offense.
Randolph's additional arm strength should encourage
offensive coaches to modify their passing schemes.
Although Wake runs a no-huddle offense at times,
the options for pass plays are somewhat limited
(no doubt due in part to Jim Grobe's conservative
nature). After Randolph gets settled in, opening
up the offense would make the Deacons' effective
running game even more dangerous.

OG
Tyson Clabo

WAKE
FOREST 2003 DEPTH CHARTReturning Starters in bold

OFFENSE

QB

Cory
Randolph-So (6-1, 188)

Zac
Taylor-Fr (6-3, 187)

FB

Nick
Burney-Sr (6-3, 216)

Damon
McWhite-Fr (6-2, 258)

TB

Chris
Barclay-So (5-10, 170)

Cornelius
Birgs-So (5-10, 203)

WR

Jason
Anderson-Jr (6-3, 182)

Anthony
Young-Sr (6-3, 208)

WR

Chris
Davis-So (5-11, 179)

Willie
Idlette-Fr (5-11, 169)

TE

R.D.
Montgomery-Jr (6-6, 229)

Dan
Callahan-Fr (6-4, 259)

OT

Mark
Moroz-Sr (6-4, 285)

Wesley
Bryant-So (6-4, 285)

OG

Chad
Rebar-Sr (6-3, 314)

Joe
Salsich-Jr (6-4, 266)

C

Blake
Lingruen-Jr (6-4, 276)

Kreg
Rotthoff-So (6-3, 292)

OG

Tyson
Clabo-Sr (6-6, 314)

Steve
Vallos-Fr (6-3, 302)

OT

Greg
Adkins-So (6-3, 283)

Arby
Jones-Fr (6-4, 270)

K

Matt
Wisnosky-So (6-1, 181)

..

2003
DEFENSE

written
by James Johnson

Last
season's leading tackler, ILB junior Brad White
(6'1", 226 lbs.) returns - hopefully with
a few extra pounds. He can obviously cover ground,
but extra weight and strength will enable him
to knock ball carriers backward instead of allowing
them to lean forward for extra yardage.

White
could receive some much-needed help from red-shirt
freshman linebacker Bryan Andrews . Andrews is
the first Parade All-American to attend Wake Forest
since 1984 and is the Deacons' best hope of developing
a defensive player who could single-handedly disrupt
an opposing offense.

The
linebacking corps otherwise looks thin. The other
returning starter, junior Kellen Brantley, needs
to regain his form from 2001 - Kellen's tackle
totals dropped from 95 as a freshman to 61 last
season. Senior Jamaal Argrow, after two injury
plagued seasons, showed some promise in spot duty.
But at only 217 lbs., Jamaal can't be counted
on for much more than that. Look for Argrow to
float back and forth from DE to LB.

Wake's
Defensive Coordinator Dean Hood runs an unusual
defensive scheme, a 3-3-5. This system, which
employs three down linemen, three linebackers,
and five defensive backs, plays to the Deacons'
strengths.

Wake
has a solid secondary, led by veterans Quintin
Williams and Eric King, who combined for 140 tackles,
six interceptions, and 12 passes defended. The
Deacons have plenty of depth, experience, and
size in their DBs, but need to increase 2002's
INT total of 13.

The
Deacons lost their only true playmaker on the
defensive front, Calvin Pace. Additionally, all
three starters are gone, and the only returning
player with any game experience is sophomore NT
Goryal Scales, who is a bit on the light side
for an interior lineman. The nose tackle is critical
to the success of the 3-3-5 scheme. Without a
good forward thrust by the defensive line, particularly
the nose tackle, the linebackers don't have anyone
shielding them from blocks, giving ball carriers
a good opportunity to get into the secondary.

Sophomores
Arthur Orlebar and John Finklea are the most likely
candidates to start at defensive end(s). Both
players saw very limited playing time as red-shirt
freshmen. The talent on the defensive line makes
it unlikely Wake will even match last year's dismal
total of 17 sacks. Opposing quarterbacks will
again have plenty of time to test the Deacons'
secondary.

Wake
will again put a small defensive front six on
the field this season and will therefore be susceptible
to getting pushed around by any team with a strong,
sizeable offensive line and a solid running game.

DB
Quintin Williams

WAKE
FOREST 2003 DEPTH CHARTReturning Starters in bold

DEFENSE

DE

Jerome
Nichols-Jr (6-2, 274)

Jamaal
Argrow-Sr (6-1, 230)

NT

Goryal
Scales-So (6-0, 283)

Cori
Stukes-So (6-0, 250)

DE

John
Finklea-So (6-5, 273)

Arthur
Orlebar-So (6-4, 246)

LOU

Dion
Williams-Sr (6-1, 247)

Bryan
Andrews-Fr (6-6, 235)

MLB

Brad
White-Jr (6-1, 226)

Pierre
Easley-Fr (6-0, 236)

ROB

Kellen
Brantley-Sr (6-3, 238)

Jason
Pratt-So (6-0, 221)

CB

Eric
King-Jr (5-9, 185)

Robert
Simmons-So (5-8, 183)

CB

Daryl
Shaw-Sr (5-9, 179)

Marcus
McGruder-Jr (5-9, 175)

SS

Warren
Braxton-Jr (6-0, 207)

James
Adams-Fr (6-3, 212)

FS

Quintin
Williams-Sr (6-2, 200)

Josh
Gattis-Fr (6-2, 195)

BAN

Caron
Bracy-Jr (6-0, 222)

Obi
Chukwumah-Sr (6-2, 199)

P

Ryan
Plackemeier-So (6-3, 230)

Steve
Hale-Jr (6-0, 201)

2003
SPECIAL TEAMS

Placekicker
Matt Wisnosky was respectable on FGAs within 40 yards
(13-of-17) as a 2002 red-shirt freshman, but he still
needs to gain some leg-strength - he had nearly two-thirds
of his kickoffs returned, too.

The
punting chores should be in good hands with sophomore
Ryan Plackemeier. The team's 35-yard net average is
not great when punting it 43 yards per try. Chris Barclay
and sophomore Chris Davis are the only experienced kick
returners back, so most of the load should fall to Davis
(since Barclay will be the featured running back).